Continuous shooting cap pistol



June 30, 1953 J. D. KILGORE CONTINUOUS SHOOTING CAP msror.

F-ild July 2, 1951 INVENTOR ATTORNEY Patented June 30, 1953 UNITED STATES CONTINUOUS SHOOTING CAP PISTOL Joseph D. Kilgore, Athens, Ohio Application July 2, 1951, Serial No. 234,738

2 Claims. 1.

The inventionrelates to toy pistols, and more particularly to a toy pistol of the type in which a roll of caps in strip form is mounted within the hollowbody of the pistol and the strip is fed by spring action over an anvil for engagement by a suitable hammer to fire successive caps, the movement of the strip of caps being accurately controlled through the medium of a ratchet and rockermechanism, by means of a trigger mechanism which is adapted to fire either a single shot onfull automatic.

The primary object of the invention is to provide an improved trigger actuated control mechanism for the firingof such caps;

Anotherobject of the'invention is to provide control and firingmechanism which is simple, effective and easy to operate.

Anotherobject ofthe invention is to provide areadily accessible cap roll.

Anotherxobjectof the invention is to provide improved means for guiding astrip of caps from a roll to the firing anvil.

Other objects and advantages of the present devicewill be apparent from a consideration of theiaccompanying drawings and .the following detailed description, in which are set forth an illustrative embodiment of the invention.

In the drawings: Fig; 1 isa side elevation of a cap pistol embodying-my invention, with the rear portion-broken andashowing. the ratchet rocker mechanism and trigger innon-firing position.

Referring to the drawings, reference" numeral denotes the hollow frame or body of a cap pistol having a muzzle I l and a handle grip portionwlz anda magazine portion 13 intermediate the muzzle and hand grip portions, and having a slot It at the front thereof. The body is preferably divided longitudinally, as is well known in the a-rt, into two parts united by suitable screws l5,- I so that the body maybe-readily separated to disclose the hollow interior and to permit access to the various elements housed therein. A roll of caps IE is partially housed within the body of the pistol with a portion extending through the slot It at the front of the magazine portion and is rotatably mounted upon a shaft H. The firing mechanism, to be more fully described hereinafter, is energized by means of a spring drum mounted for rotation upon a shaft 2| journaled in the side walls of the body of the pistol. The drum houses a main spring 22 of the coil type, one end of which is secured to the shaft and the other to the inner periphery of the drum. The mainspring 22 is adapted to be wound by means of a key 23 secured to the shaft 2! a pawl and ratchet mechanism 24 and 25 and a. leaf spring 26 being provided to prevent reverse rotation of the shaft.

As shown, one face of the spring drum 20 is provided with a gear 21 coacting with other parts of the operating mechanism, including the firing mechanism and the control mechanism. The periphery of the drum is provided with a series of spaced hammer trip lugs or teeth 28 which are intended to actuate the hammer mechanism at suitable intervals.

As shown, the gear 21 carried b the spring drum 28 meshes on one side of the shaft 2| with a smaller gear 39 which carries a series of cap advancing: fingers 3| projecting from one face thereof beyond the limits of the gear teeth, which fingers are adapted to engage at suitable intervals a series of suitably spaced caps 32 forming part of a strip 33 which is drawn from the roll l6 mounted on the shaft H.

The cap strip 33, after leaving the roll l6, passes over a curved guide member 35 suitably dished to allow'the fingersil carried by gear to pass thereover. in advancing the caps. The guide memberor strip is preferably carried b an anvil .36 which maybe secured to one side of the hollow frame or body Ill.v Preferably the anvil is provided with a pair of spaced ears 31(one only being shown) to guide the cap strip 33 and prevent the same from shifting laterally. After passing the anvil 3Bthe exploded caps pass out through a slot 40 at the top of the frame member.

Detonation of the caps is accomplished by means of a hammer contact member 4| at the end of a lever 42, which lever is pivoted intermediate its ends at 43 and is provided with a projecting finger or hammer trip lug M at the end opposite the hammer member 4|, which finger is actuated on rotation of the spring drum to retract the hammer by means of the lugs or projections 28 carried by the drum 20. A suitable leaf spring 15 presses downwardly against the hammer and urges it against the hammer and urges it against each advancing cap after the hammer has been retracted and then released by the lugs 28.

In accordance with my invention the operation of the firing mechanism is very accurately controlled through a suitable ratchet rocker mechanism similar to a watch or clock escapement, which mechanism is connected to the spring ratchet wheel 50 mounted on a shaft 5l and hav- 7 ing teeth 52 adapted to be engaged by one of the prongs 6| of a rocker member 53 pivoted upon a shaft 54. The rocker member is provided with an arm 55 projecting beyond the pivot .54 and adapted to be engaged by extension 55 of a suitable trigger 51 pivotally mounted on a shaft 58 within the pistol frame and herein shown as located adjacent the upper end of a slot 59 at the front of the grid portion of the pistol through which slot a fingerpiece '60 carried by the trigger is accessible to the operator. The ratchet wheel 50 is provided with a small gear 16 mounted on the shaft 5|, which gear meshes with a larger gear H, which in turn meshes with the gear 2! carried by the spring drum 20. Aleaf spring 80 is provided in the base portion of the pistol grip which, as shown, engages the rear end of the trigger extension 56 and thus normally urges the trigger outwardly to the non-firing position.

In operation, a roll of caps I5 is first mounted on the shaft I! and the strip of caps threaded over the guide member 35 and between the guide ears 3'! of the anvil 36. To fire the pistol the fingerpiece B0 of the trigger '51 is pressed, thus swinging the trigger on its pivot 58 and causing the trigger extension 56 to shift the arm 55 of the member 53 to the left from the position shown in Fig. 2 so as to rock the same about its pivot 54 and thus release the prong 6| from the ratchet wheel 50, as shown in Fig. 1, to permit operation of the firing mechanism under the influence of the main spring 22 housed in the drum as long as the prong 6| is disengaged from the ratchet and the main spring is wound sufliciently tight.

If only a single explosion is desired the trigger may be released immediately after the application of initial pressure, whereupon the trigger spring 8|] will return the trigger to its non-firing position, thereby again swinging the rocker about its pivot 54 but in the opposite direction from the first swinging movement, thus causing the ratchet prong 6| to engage the next tooth of the ratchet wheel 50 and prevent further rotation thereof, thereby holding the chain of gearing stationary and preventing further firing of the toy until the ratchet is again released on application of pressure to the trigger.

If a series of explosions are desired the trigger is merely held in the pressed or firing position for as long as desired, and as long as sufficient pressure is applied to the trigger to release the rocker prong 6| from the teeth of the ratchet wheel 50 firing will continue, the firing mechanism being actuated by energy stored in the main spring housed within the drum 20. The force of the spring is transmitted through the gears 21 and 30 to the cap advancing prongs or fingers 3|, which move successive caps on the cap strip step by step to the anvil 36 where they are exploded by the hammer 4| actuated in suitable timed relation by the hammer trip lugs 28 carried by the drum 20 housing the main spring.

It will be apparent that when the trigger is pressed the ratchet rocker mechanism releases the spring mechanism and simultaneously a cap starts upwardly and the hammer is retracted and then released by the trip lugs 28. After the hammer is released it strikes the cap at the instant the cap arrives at the anvil center. When the trigger is released the trigger spring throws the members 55 and 55 to the right and the prong 6| is again pressed tightly against the ratchet wheel 50, thus stopping all movement. In this manner continuous but controlled firing or the firing of single'caps one at a time under the control of the trigger may be accomplished.

The invention has been described in detail for the purpose of illustration but it will be obvious that numerous modifications and variations may be resorted to without departing from the spirit of the invention.

I claim:

1. A toy pistol adapted to fire a single shot or full, automatic from a roll of caps in strip form, comprising motive means including a rotatable spring drum, cap firing mechanism adapted to be actuated by said motive means for firing one or a succession of caps from said roll, trigger actuated control means for said motive means adapted in one position to restrain rotation of said spring drum and in another position to permit rotation thereof, said control means including ratchet and rocker mechanism, normally re-e straining the motive means, but arranged to release the same on application of pressure to the trigger.

2. A toy pistol for firing a single shot or full automatic'from a roll of caps in strip form, said pistol comprising an anvil, strip guide means interposed between the roll and anvil, spring-' pressed hammer mechanism coacting'with said anvil to detonate successive caps 'upon' the anvil, means including a rotatable spring drum for advancing successive caps to firing position on said anvil and for tripping said hammer to detonate said caps, and trigger actuated control means for said drum including ratchet and rocker mechanism actuated by the trigger and adapted in one position .to restrain rotation ofthe spring drum and in another position to permit such movement.

JOSEPH D. KILGORE.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number 

